FAZLI JAMIL’S CREATIVE TAKE ON HUMAN BEHAVIOR

There’s something about Fazli Jamil’s images that we find ourselves taking a liking to. His series, ‘Faceless Portraits’ stood out for us since we like observing and profiling people. It’s your actions, the clothes you wear, and your interaction with the space around you that speaks a lot about your life, your daily commute.

Apart from photography, his film ‘Let Me Be’ also stood out. It’s a film about autism where he actually went down to the school just to observe and learn more about them first hand. We caught up with him to find out more about his works and his journey.

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you do?

Fazli (F): Hi everyone, I’m Fazli Jamil, a visual communicator. I express myself more in the mediums of video and photo. Currently a producer in an agency, I love trekking and travelling which everyone does! I love travelling because I learn and meet a lot of people, and it expands my knowledge of the world. Currently, my travel count stands at 16 Countries and 28 Cities, so I would say I’ve caught the travel bug. The best one would be trekking to Everest Base Camp at Kathmandu. I learnt a lot about cultures of other countries and usually when I’m back in Singapore, I would tend to compare the differences. That’s where I will start to ponder and somehow get my inspirations through the journey too.

What attracts you to both Photography and Videography?

F: I started my interest on making videos while I was studying in Republic Polytechnic. It was the interest to understand that video is a powerful medium that can allow you to be a storyteller. You have the power to inform and to create content that you strongly believe in, and project it in your own way or perception, as it is. It was then it caught my attention, as I got hooked on the results of responses that a video could trigger. So eventually for my Final Year Project, my team and I created a 30-minute horror film. I enjoyed the process of research, casting/shooting, and eventually to the final product. To see the audience who came and watch, enjoying the show, was something I was very happy about while making film.

F: I then started Photography in my University with SIT & Glasgow School of Art Singapore. That’s where I learnt more in depth, the difference between film and photography. Photography is to be able to communicate your ideas across a few frames or from a series of collection, whereas for film you have the time to build your stories through the different parts of the film, like the hooks, tension cue and ending, just to name a few. This allowed me to develop more interest in the different ways of communicating my ideas. Ultimately, these two mediums allow me to be the storyteller. I’m very intrigued by the responses and if you check out my works, it has to do with a lot about human behaviour and the things I see around me. That was the inspirations I received and actually to do something about it.

For ‘Our Pursue of Modernity’ and ‘Faceless Portraits’, the colours really pop. The same effect is seen in your other works as well. Is that your aesthetic? Tell us a bit more.

F: Colours play a huge role in enhancing the way we see things. There are numerous other factors such as lighting, framing for Photo & Sound effects, audio for film, but I’m attracted to colours. I love colours because it can create an illusion/fantasy, or it can simply enhance your viewing pleasure on an artwork. I strongly focus a lot on colours on my works because these colours play an important part on my work. Just imagine looking at an old painting in an art museum without its frames. You will feel off and different because it comes together. That’s how I see colours in my works, it has to be there to either pop even at the slightest of it, or it actually conveys the mood and strengthens the idea I have for the particular artwork.

Conceptual, Introspective, VibrantIn 3 words, what's your style?

What camera gears do you use? And do you think this plays a big part in capturing better images/videos?

F: Currently, most of my works are shot in 5D MK III. It’s a very versatile and awesome camera for photos. As for videos, it’s not the best as there are better ranges but I bought a new Black magic Cinema Camera for my video shoots because I strongly believe that the equipment plays a big part in delivering top quality works.

Don’t shortchange your amazing ideas with very bad equipment because you never know what you can achieve with those amazing equipment. I’ve experienced and seen the difference between the qualities, so I would not want to experience that again. Therefore, always equip yourself and renting is quite affordable nowadays if you don’t have your own gear. I do that quite often. Heh.

Tell us 3 of your works you hope readers will know about?

F: The 3 works I hope I can reach the readers would be Let Me Be (a film about autism), Our Pursue of Modernity & The Perfect System. The first one is something I strongly believe in because I spent time going down to the school, to observe autistic kids and how the public see them as. I’ve talked to a lot of people, researched, and I made the film to subtly show the life of an autistic kid in a different reflective way. It has a meaningful message behind the film. As for the rest, for Our Pursue of Modernity & The Perfect System, it’s more to the idea of communicating what’s happening within our surroundings. I chose to do something about it thus creating this work to hopefully spark a thought about the subject.

Do you have some tips for those interested to be better in photography/videography?

F: A lot of people have the perception that if you can take photos, it means you can take videos. Yes, you are using the same equipment such as DSLR, but these are two very different mediums. The way you convey your message or techniques is also very different. Learn the difference between these two mediums strongly, go to the library, research and read, trust me it will be a fulfilling journey. We live in an era of Googling for answers, but Google only filters what it thinks you should know. But if you go down to a library and pick these photo or video books, there’s a high chance you will bump into things that you didn’t expect to learn. I spent some time at the National Library just going around, looking and reading these books. You will be surprised of what you can learn from it.

F: Next, having a good idea/concept is one thing but having a good equipment to deliver your idea is what I believe everyone should try to achieve because this will then allow you to open the gates of your potential. You never know how much you can achieve unless you give yourself a chance to. So if you have the opportunity to try better gears or better equipment, use that opportunity, of course with considerations in mind. Use it, don’t short change your clients or yourself. Maybe because the commission was a small amount of money, use the proper gears you think are needed and through word of mouth, how good your works are will be spread around. Lastly, you will have a sense of satisfaction knowing you did your best to communicate your ideas on the final work.

Takeaway message for readers?

F: Be bold with your decision-making, read more, understand how you can communicate your ideas in your works effectively, other than focusing on just aesthetic values. Learn more about what you have interests in. Lastly, pick up your lazy self at times at home and meet people or even go out to take photos and videos to always learn and get experience. At least when you come back home, you know you did something today for yourself and for your creative mind.

Fact // I’m travel junkie, travelling is the best way to learn & exchange experiences. If you need anyone to travel, i’ll be keen!

Message // Don’t keep procrastinate, Don’t keep planning & not doing, anticipating will delay your action. Ideas are everywhere, everything can be an idea. My works are basically about human behaviour, from observations & it became an idea when i just spend time observing then proceed to research.

FUSSY // I’m fussy about having greens/vegetable in my food. Rather starve if have greens. Haha!